Ligatures have been de facto contrivances for securing clarinet and saxophone reeds throughout this century. Two hundred years ago, when the clarinet evolved from the chalumeau, woven cord was used as a ligature on a reed instruments.
The specialized separate reeds and mouthpiece of the modern clarinet and saxophone must ideally be mated flat surface to flat surface as if they were made of one piece. Such one piece systems occurred in bagpipe and chalumeaux reeds before the arrival of the clarinet and saxophone. In such one piece systems, no ligature was necessary because the reed and mouthpiece were one piece with no flat surfaces needing to be mated under pressure. However, modern convention based upon consistency dictates using separate reeds and mouthpieces. Generally, the same mouthpiece with a particular facing curve (distance from tip of reed) will last for years while the reeds warp and wear out in days or weeks.
Because reeds warp, the flat surface is rarely flat at each side where it is designed to be in permanent contact with the mouthpiece. A buzzy, unclear tone and chirping noise commonly occurs as a result, even amount seasoned professionals. The radial strength of the reed is such that only a drastic change in humidity on the bark can effect a counter measure to warpage. The amount of pressure necessary to flatten a reed to a mouthpiece could ruin the mouthpiece and crack the reed.
Prior art claims fall short in substantive solutions to the above problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 266,384, issued to Pascucci, suggests that reed pressure bars overcome warpage and reed life is extended in this design. However, this has been demonstrated to be inconclusive at best. It is widely established that reed life is affected not by these products but by enzymes in saliva as well as natural flex, fatigue and tongue contact breaking down cells. Less playing music is the only sure way to preserve a reed.
Prior art attempts at modernizing the original string ligature have often neglected the most important features and benefits of the simple original. The string of the nineteenth century was not elastic like nylons et. al. of today. Cotton or linen could be tied around the mouthpiece as tightly or loosely as desired without elasticity interfering with the interface between reed and mouthpiece. Those cords are more acoustically neutral, less susceptible to spurious vibration or over-dampening than much of today's stretchable materials. That is why such later designed ligatures can only be more convenient, not better acoustically.
Metal banded ligatures, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,789,639, issued to Selmer, are well known. Generally, they have weak brass thumb screws which strip their threads and deform the sheet metal to reed contact. Buzzing and squeaks are caused.
Pre-woven spiral or elastomeric O-ring ligatures, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,776, issued to Grass et. al., slip over the mouthpiece. But, not nearly enough pressure could be exerted to stabilize the reed's position. Further, the pressure is not adjustable at a given ring placement; a major problem.
Similar problems occur in cord sandwiched within rubber straps ligatures, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,997, issued to Rovner. This design uses one screw across the two brackets so that when the top or bottom circumference of rubber stretches out as indeed occurs, there is no compensation for control over tightening those edges as much as the more central areas over the reed.
The ligature described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,271, issued to Winslow, uses soft rubber spacers which are difficult to torque. These are held by undamped C-clips, which further exacerbates the problem of spurious vibration.
The ligature described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,604, issued to Goikas, uses nylon strings held tight by plastic pieces and a screw at each end. In such a design the relative tightness of each string winding cannot be equalized or adjusted. The durability of the adjustment screws and continually stretching nylon cord are also questionable.
The ligature described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,535, issued to Lorenzini, uses several individual strings held by metal brackets and two thumbscrews which force the brackets closer together. Reeds are not ruler flat. This design does not account for natural variation in reed dimensions or provide means to equalize string pressure in response to that variation. If the particular circumference under one string is not in perfect linear proportion to the next one (a common occurrence), the string and reed could buzz, flex and destabilize the overall playing quality. Lorenzini's grooved brackets sandwiched between the string and mouthpiece cover one half of the circumference of the mouthpiece. This provides less support than the completely circular metal band designs. However, both designs are susceptible to buzzing and neither conform to the shape of, nor provide equal pressure around, the mouthpiece.
Therefore, there is a need for a ligature which substantially reduces spurious vibrations, is easy to use and durable.